Battery filler



J. J. DRABIN BATTERY FILLERY Feb. 19, 1935.

original. Filed eb. 5, 1934` w 8 M D J N INVENTOR BY f.

ATTORNEY 'vPatented Feb. 19 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATTERY FILLER John J. Drabin, New York, N. Y.

Original application February 5, 1934, Serial No.

709,757. Divided and this application April 26, 1934, Serial No. 722,648

2 Claims. (Cl. 137-68) My invention relates to battery fillers and has cesses 37 and 38 for the battery terminal 39 and particular reference to automatic iillers supportconnectors 40. The bottom of the chamber has ed onthe top of a storage battery. hollow tapering plugs 41 fitting into flanged cup- 'I'his is a divisional application of my applishaped shells 42. The latter are tted into filling 5 cation Serial No. 709,757 filed Feb. 5, 1934, Pat apertures. in the cover 15 of the battery and arev 5 ent No. 1,988,192, Jan. 15, 1935. provided with rubber sealing gaskets 43 above The object of my invention is to provide/an and below the flanges of the shells. The joints automatic device containing water and adapted to between the plugs and the battery cover are maintain a constant level of the electrolyte in a made thereby air-tight. Ventilation is provided l0 battery. Another object of my invention is to by holes 44 in the partitions of the batteryl and 10 provide a device for indicating whether there is by a vent tube 45 in the cover above the chamber sufficient amount of electrolyte in the battery. 5. The plugs 4l have outwardly converging` My device is especially adapted for automobile openings 46 withl balls 47 closing the lower ends batteries provided with inspection holes closed of the plugs, the balls 47 acting as valves. The 15 with plugs. chamber 32 is iilled with pure water while in an 15 In ordinary batteries the plugs must be removed inverted position through the holes 46. in order to inspect the battery and to refill the The cover is then quickly turned over, the balls same. This procedure rather dicult as the 47 dropping into the narrow ends of the holes 46 oor boards must be removed in order to gain and closing them. The covering chamber 32 is access to the battery,the latter being placed near then placed over the battery and held in the oper- 20 the transmission surrounded with dirty and ative position by the spring latches 34 with the greasy objects. Inspite of this diiculty, the batplugs 41 tightly ttin'g in the apertures in the tery must be inspected quite frequently as it may cover. The ends of the plugs in this position be seriously damaged if permitted to remain reach the level of the electrolyte 8, the latter Partly dry. l I passing into the shells 42 through holes 48. Lugs 25 In order to facilitate the inspection and rellv49 are provided in the bottom portions of the lng, I provide special hollow plugs containing shells. The balls 47 rest on these lugs being water and adaptedtorelease this water automatithereby raised and opening the passage to the cally when the level of the electrolyte drops be- Water from the chamber 32 into the battery. 'I'he low the normal level. I provide these plugs with water will ow until the level of the electrolyte 30 valves adapted to close the outlets when the plugs rises above the lower ends of the plugs 41 thereby are removed or replaced. I also provide means closing them and stopping the further flow of to open these valves when the plugs are placed water. The shells 42 remain in this position in in the operative positions on the battery. I furthe cover when the chamber 32 is being removed 35 ther provide these plugs with transparent tops or replaced. f 35 through which the liquid can be seen, so that the With this arrangement of the plugs and shells plugs can be removed and relled when they beit is not necessary to have the edges of the lling come empty. apertures threaded as is'the'case when screw My invention is more fully described in the acplugs are used. The presence of such threads 40 companying specication and drawing in whichdoes not interfere, however, withA the use of the 40 Fig. 1 is an elevationI partly in section of my straight shells and plugs as they can be pressed relling well supported on top of a battery, Fig; in over the threads. 2 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a transverse A modified arrangement is shown in Fig. 4 essection of the same, Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation pecially adapted for standard batteries with of a modied device and, Fig. 5 is adetailv view threaded illling holes. A threaded shell 50 is t- 45 of a valve releasing shell. ted into the hole being screwed into it by a handle YMy battery filler consists of a. at chamber 32 or lug 51. The plug 52, individual for each hole, formed as a cover for abattery 6 on which it is then screwed in, the ball 17 being raised by the rests with the edges 33 being clamped in the oplug 49 onlthe bottom of the shell. The p1ug-has A erative position by spring hooks 34 engaging a transparent cap 53 and is lled with pure water 50 notches 35 in the side walls of the battery. The 54. A

cover 36 of the chamber' 32 is made of a trans- The shells 42 or 50 can be made of celluloid parent material such as celluloid and is cementor similar material unaectedby the acid of the ed to thewalls of the chamber so as to render'it battery. y A air-tight. The chamber 32 is provided with re- A'slot 55 is made in the nlling holeror thel I5 air. No gaskets are required for une plug with this construction.

The vent hole or groove 55 may be provided in the side of the plug as shown in Fig. 4. The

cap-shaped shell 42 or 50 serves as a baille for;

preventing the electrolyte from splashing through the slot 55'. In such case thevent 55 may be dispensed with` The plug must be turned over for placing it in its operative position, and a certain amount of water will be spilled during this operation, leaving an air space above the water level in the plug. This air space will permit the free expansion of water when it freezes in Winter.

Due to the comparatively small amount of water in the plug, it will quickly melt when the engine is running because ofthe heatA radiated from the engine and from theexhaust pipe.

The freezing will be retarded, however, due to a certain amount of diiusion taking place be.- tween the water in the plug and the electrolyte, introducing acid into the water in the plug and lowering its freezing point.

The amount of the reserve water in the plug can be readily observed through the transparent covers 36 or 53. The plugs need not be removed for such an inspection. Due to the construction of my cups 51, my plugs may be made but slightly higher than ordinary plugs, and this is important in view of the limited space available above the top of the battery in an ordinary automobile.

Important advantages of my battery filler are that it is entirely automatic adapted to maintain the constant level of the electrolyte in'a battery as long as there is any water (or electrolyte) in the well of the filler-plug; also that the ller can be inspected without removing it from the Vbattery and the amount of water still contained in the filler well can be thereby ascertained; it is simple in construction and can be easily fitted to the existing batteries without any changes in their construction (or `with but small changes as may be required for a modification shown in Fig. 6) due to the special construction of the celluloid shells 42 the llers (plugs) can be made suiiciently low to suit th available space above the battery in the automobiles. These shells are also useful in breaking up any splashes of the electrolyte when the `vehicle is in motion. The

removing them and turning upside down. The

balls 47 then roll away from the. tubular exten- 'sions 41 through which water can'be poured in.'

By turning the plug over after it has been lled. the ball is made to roll back and to close the end of ,the extension thereby preventing the loss of water when the plug is inserted in its place.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a battery ller,the combination with -a' hollow plug adapted to be iitted into a iiller hole in the cover of said battery, the lower end of said plug being adapted to reach the normal level of the electrolyte of said battery, said lower end being provided with a tapering. aperture extending to the walls of said plug, a ball adapted -to close said tapering aperture by gravity when said plug is in its operative position, a thin shell adapted to be inserted between said plug and the sides of said ller hole, said shell adapted to be extended below the level of said electrolyte and being provided with apertures for said electrolyte, and a lug in said shell adapted to raise said ball when said plug is placed in its operative position.

2. In a battery filler, the combination with a hollow tapering plug adapted to be tted into a. iiller hole in" the cover of said battery, the lower end of said plug being adapted to reach the level of theelectrolyte, said plug having a tapering shape inside, a transparent cover over said plug, a bali in said plug adapted to close the aperture in said plug by gravity, a thin shell adapted to be interposed between said plug and the sides of-said hole, said plug having a vent groove passing through the contact surface with said shell, said shell adapted to be extended below Vt-he level of said electrolyte and being provided with apertures for said electrolyte, a lug in said shell adapted to raise said ball when said plug is in its operative position, and an extension on the outer portion of said shell for holding said shell when said plug is being tted into said iiller hole.

` JOHN J. DRABIN. 

